Paul Lynch

A Northamptonshire survivor of the horrific gun attack in Tunisia on Friday has praised the actions of men who formed a ‘human shield’ to protect others from the massacre.

John Yeoman of Kettering took to Twitter during the terror attacks in the North African country, which left 38 dead in a holiday resort populated by Britons.

The Northamptonshire man, who was staying in a neighbouring resort and was alerted to the terror by the sound of ‘automatic gun fire’, posted pictures of a mattress barricading his hotel door in the aftermath, tweeting:”I hope this will be enough.”

But Mr yeoman has defended the actions of around eight or nine individuals criticised for what some have described as ‘looking on’ at gunman Seifeddine Rezgui, after an image emerged of the attacker walking along the Sousse beach rifle in hand.

One Mail Online commentator stated: “I count nine men standing or walking behind him why didn’t they all attack him?”

But Mr Yeoman, who was on holiday with his wife, tweeted in response today, having returned back to the UK: “Those in the background formed a human shield to protect another hotel they are not watching they saved many lives.”

Another Briton, Ian Symes, replied to Mr Yeoman’s comment, stating: “I’m with you - was on beach at Palm marina - whilst we were running to hide, hotel staff were running out to help, very brave.”

More details have emerged from Northamptonshire holidaymakers who were staying in the Sousse area on Friday.

East Haddon resident Julie Everson, was staying in nearby Skaines with her family when the shooting started.

She said: “We were going to Sousse that day shopping but (son) Luke wanted to go on the road train instead.

“At 12.05 we were passed by lots of police vans which we later found out were the snipers and ambulances.”